C#, Java, Ruby...what software skills are in demand?

Did you know that Scotland's technology sector has enjoyed year-on-year growth in excess of 10% for the past few years?

That means a great mix of career opportunities, whether you’re a passionate expert or a bright, ambitious graduate starting out. And your choice ranges from exciting new start-ups commercialising their cutting-edge research to some of the world’s largest technology companies - all this in a country that offers stunning scenery, great cities and - for many people - a seriously short commute.

Scotland's Skills Investment Plan for ICT and digital technologies predicts that as many as 11,000 job opportunities could be available each year. As a result skills bodies and TalentScotland are working with industry on a range of initiatives that promote digital careers within Scotland and aim to attract internationally mobile tech professionals from further afield.

This is great news, especially if you are a software professional looking to experience living and working in another country. According to e-skills UK, the main demand will be for programmers/software developers and web design/development professionals, particularly with experience in:

.NET

Java

SQL

SharePoint

Visual Basic

Python

C#

PHP

Ruby

VMware

As well as software development and digital marketing, your skills will also be in demand in areas such as management, strategy and planning, and project management. There are also exciting opportunities in growth areas like:

Cloud computing

Green IT

Social and mobile computing

Big data/analytics

Smart computing

Security and data protection

Polly Purvis, the executive director of ScotlandIS, Scotland's trade body for software, IT and creative technology, said: “The single biggest area of skills demand in Scotland for the foreseeable future has to be software engineering – and with such a buoyant jobs market and wide range of companies and sectors to work in, Scotland really provides an exciting and challenging place to develop a career.”